Kentucky Wildcats @ Missouri Tigers: Two Programs Looking to Rise from the SEC Cellar

We’re less than 24 hours away from the very first SEC conference showdown between the Missouri Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats. Ironically, both teams will also be seeking their first SEC win of 2012, as both teams are a combined 0-7 in the SEC this year, and will be looking to get off the snide when they kickoff at noon tomorrow on the SEC network.

 

At 1-7, the Cats are playing for pride and the job of Head Coach Joker Phillips, who is guaranteed to be fired by season’s end if he can’t rally his young team and finish with 3-4 wins in their final 4 games.

At 3-4, Missouri still has a chance to make the postseason in their inaugural SEC campaign, a nice accomplishment for a program hoping to compete for an SEC East crown in the coming years after being amongst the Big 12‘s upper-class for much of the past 5 seasons. But before they can ever dream do competing in the upper echelon of the SEC, they have to get their first conference win, something they hope to accomplish Saturday vs. Kentucky.

 

Game Changers

Kentucky Quarterback Patrick Towles  

The true freshman sat out nearly half the season with plans to redshirt, but was forced into action against Mississippi State and led the Cats on one of only two touchdown drives as he completed all five pass attempts while leading the Cats 80 yards in 10 plays, including two third-down conversions, and capped off the drive with a 32-yard TD strike to La’Rod King. He was later injured with a high-ankle sprain, but is expected to play this weekend.